The present invention relates to a golf swing training and muscle exercising apparatus which enables a user to simulate the movements of a proper swing and which also exercises the muscles of a golfer, making such a swing combined in a single apparatus.
The present invention is an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,874, issued to Robert E. Fitch, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. The disclosure of the 5,050,874 patent is incorporated in this application by way of reference.
In the patent, a golf swing training and exercising apparatus uses a rotating parabolic swing shaped arm connected between a golf grip and a resistance to enable the golfer to execute a simulated golf swing by rotating the swing arm against the resistance. The apparatus uses a rotating shaft connected between the swing arm and the resistance. Flexible cable is wound around a pulley which is connected to the rotatable shaft. This arrangement permits the parabolic arm to be swung only in one direction against the resistance, therefore enabling a golfer only to exercise the muscles used during the downswing portion of the golf swing.
The present invention presents an improvement over this swing training and exercising apparatus by permitting a golfer to use the apparatus in both the backswing mode and the downswing mode. This is accomplished by connecting the parabolic swing arm and rotating shaft to a sprocket member connected to a bicycle type chain which in turn is connected to a resistance spring. The sprocket structure permits the swing arm to be rotated in either direction, it being appreciated that the sprocket rotates either clockwise or counterclockwise, winding the chain with it upon the sprocket. The spring provides resistance in the same manner as the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,874.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved golf swing training apparatus and combined exercising apparatus in which the muscles used in both the downswing portion and backswing portion of a golf swing may be trained. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following drawings and description.